BABY SAFETY BASICS

To protect a baby from accidents, be sure to follow all of these safety tpis all the time:

1. Never smoke near the baby, whether you're in the house or outdoors.

2. Keep your eyes on him/her at all times (unless he's/she's napping).

3. Keep your eyes and a hand on the baby when he's/she's on a high surface. That means on a changing table, bed, chair or couch. Even newborns who can't roll over can suddenly stretch and fall off.

4. Never put the baby in an infant (or car) seat or carrier on the table, counter or any raised surface. A strong kick could send the seat and baby to the ground.

5. If there are safety straps on the changing table, use them. But don't rely on them to keep the baby secure. You still need to keep a constant eye on him and a hand too, if he's/she's squirmy.

6. Never jiggle or shake the baby (even in play) or toss him up in the air. Babies can suffer permanent damage and even die from what is called shaken baby syndrome.

7. To Prevent accidental strangulation, don't attach a chain or string longer than six inches to the baby's clothing, toys or other belongings. Make sure that the ends og strings in hoods, gowns and pants are knotted so that can't slip through, and never leave cords, string, ropes or necklaces of any kind around where baby might get to them.

8. Make sure the baby's crib, play yard and changing table are not within reach of electric cords, telephone cords, or blind or drapery cords. All these items can strangle a baby.

9. To prevent accidental suffocation, don't leave filmy plastics, such as those used by dry cleaners, where the baby can get them.

10. Don't leave an infant within reach of pillows, stuffed animals or other plush items.

11. Always put the baby to sleep on his/her back, whether it's for a short nap or at bedtime.

12. Don't let the baby sleep with pillows, comforters or stuffed toys or on a sheepskin, plush top mattress, beanbags, or waterbed. And never let the baby sleep on a bed wedged up against the wall.

13. Don't place the baby anywhere near an unguarded window, even for a second, and even if he's/she's sound asleep.

14. Never go out, even for a moment, without the baby. It may be tempting to leave him/her asleep while you run to the mailbox or check the laundry in the apartment basement. Don't. A Fire or an accident can happen in second.

15. Never leave the baby alone in a room with a pet, even a very well behaved one.

16. Never leave the baby alone in a room with a child under five years old. A loving but overenthusiastic bear hug could crack a rib, and even a peekaboo game between a preschooler and an infant could result in tragic suffocation.

17. Always strap an infant into a rear facing infant car seat or a rear facing convertible of a car. Follow all the parents' instructions on car seat use.

18. Never leave a child alone in a car. Even if you just have to run into the dry cleaner's, take him/her with you. Being left alone in a car in warm weather is especially dangerous.



Yayasan Karya Bangsa